I tried to buy him one on numerous occasions, but he always picked up the tab. Then, in the days that followed, he’d tease me about being cheap.

I learned this was his way many years ago while in a Buffalo bar with him and Floyd Smith, the Perth native who had a solid National Hockey League career as a player, coach and scout. To hear the longtime friends talk, neither of them ever reached into his pocket.

I’m thinking about beers with Bryan a couple of hours after crying over the news that he had finally succumbed to the cancer he so valiantly fought for three years because those were more than great times. For a beat reporter, they were must-attend educational sessions.

As my buddy Chris Stevenson so succinctly put it, Murray was a man that taught a lot of us about hockey and, more importantly, life.

Along with all else, Bryan was one of the greatest story tellers I’ve ever met.

On one of many nights at Hurley’s Irish Pub in Montreal, former Canadiens tough guy Chris Nilan sat down and joined us. The yarns they told, the jabs they took … I know I can speak for Stevenson when I say it turned into one of the highlights of our careers.

During other late night chats, I’d love to hear Bryan passionately talk about his younger days as a ball player. He painted such a vivid picture.

Murray’s sarcasm and wit were his trademarks. Hall of Fame stuff. They were as enormous as Sidney Crosby’s work ethic and Wayne Gretzky’s vision.

When he was going through treatment at the same time as my late, dear pal Peter Johns, Peter said to Bryan, “We have a mutual friend.” When Peter told him it was me, Bryan looked at him and said “Don Brennan is no friend of mine,” then laughed.

Bryan would laugh again when telling me of the disclaimer.

He had an uncanny ability to understand and deal with people. He was the ultimate player’s coach and people person.

From a personal standpoint, that was the one good thing to come out of the contract dispute that shut the NHL down for the 2004-05 season: It gave us a chance to get to know Murray on a different level.

Obviously, we were familiar with the accomplishments of the Shawville native to that point. How he had established himself as one of the game’s best bench bosses in nine seasons with the Washington Capitals, then shifted into a general manager’s role with the Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

To finish out his career close to his hometown, Murray accepted a job as the Senators coach, but the lockout interrupted the beginning of his tenure. The team decided to take the opportunity to further acquaint us with Murray by holding a training camp for reporters. We practised and prepared as if we were on his team. We played a game with him behind our bench. We discovered why NHLers always went to the wall for him, how he was able to push their buttons.

His was calm, cool, disarming, lovable.

No wonder that, with 620 wins, he ranks 12th among all time NHL coaches. He knew his stuff and he knew how to bring out the best in his players.

Murray, who guided the Senators to the 2007 Stanley Cup final, was the best coach in franchise history. Period.

What I also liked about him was his honesty. If Murray had a problem with something you wrote — he read everything — he would confront you man to man. I don’t know how many times he saw me at practice and gave me crap about a stance I had taken, and he made sure everybody heard him.

At the end of it, he’d smile or make a joke. Not to make you think he wasn’t serious, but to show you he understood you had a job to do even if he disagreed with your opinion. So many people in the game could learn from his professionalism.

His bravado was quite admirable as well. He knew his fate and he met it head-on.

I remember him showing me his new car and admitting it had been an impractical purchase. Then he added, “What the hell … I’m going to die soon anyway, right? ” and broke into his big grin.

I didn’t believe it.

I mean, I know he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in the summer of 2014, and I understand there was no cure. I also last saw him at the scrimmage that marked the end of the Senators’ 2017 summer development camp, and he had lost a lot more weight.

During the time in between, however, you wouldn’t have known he was sick.

I have never met a tougher man than Bryan Murray, and frankly, I didn’t think the deadly disease had a chance against him.

Sadly, so very, very sadly, I was wrong.

I didn’t have to read all the heartfelt Twitter tributes that poured in on Saturday, which is known as Hockey Day in Canada, to say you can expect an overwhelmingly large NHL representation at Murray’s funeral service. This sensationally charming man with the crooked fingers and distinguishable slur was a much beloved hockey legend and will be greatly missed.

I still owe Bryan Murray that beer. What is helping me get through this devastating time is know that one day, we will have it.

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